Tasha's Back, and Black and Beautiful as
Ever!

Tasha Smith and her identical twin, Sidra, were born on February 28, 1971 in
Camden, New Jersey. Being raised by a single-mom in a crime and drug
infested neighborhood proved to be almost too much of a hurdle for Tasha to
overcome as her life spiraled down a self-destructive path marked by
promiscuity, Marijuana and cocaine addiction, chain-smoking and a stint as a
stripper.

Fortunately, she eventually embraced Christianity, cleaned up her act and
moved to L.A. where she tried her hand at standup comedy before settling on
an acting career. The versatile scene-stealer has since appeared in such
movies as Couples Retreat, The Longshots, Daddy's Little Girls and Why Did I
Get Married, to name a few.

When not working, Tasha gives back to the community, dividing her time
between making motivational speeches and teaching actor's workshops all
across the country. Here, she talks about reprising the role of Angela in
Why Did I Get Married Too, as well as her new TV series, My Black Is
Beautiful, a reality series premiering this month on BET. (Check local
listings)

TS: I am doing awesome! I was hoping to interview with you when I was in New
York for the premiere [of Why Did I Get Married Too].

KW: This is probably better because I'm sure you were mobbed and I would
have had to elbow my way just to get a few minutes one-on-one with you.

TS: Hey, you can have as long as you need now. How's that? KW: Tremendous, thanks.

TS: So, what's happening? Hi!KW: Nothing much, how about you?

TS: I have just been s busy, and I'm so excited. I have been doing soooooo
much. Speaking engagements… producing… developing a half-hour sitcom…
working on a movie… leading acting workshops all over the world…and hosting
My Black Is Beautiful, an empowerment TV show I'm doing on BET for women. Do
you hear me, Kam?KW: Yeah, so what's the new TV show going to be like?

TS: We're doing makeovers, giving financial classes, answering questions
about black women's imaging in the media, and much more. It's so good! We
encourage women to become mentors within their communities in order to teach
young girls how to thrive in this society. It's a good thing, so, I'm
excited about having the platform and this opportunity because you know me,
I love my folk. KW: Let's talk a little about Why Did I Get Married Too. You were as
phenomenal as you were in the original which led me to name you the best
actress of 2007. How was it seeing everybody again?

TS: Thank you. It was fun. Honestly, we are like a family. We really are.
The chemistry for the sequel was even better. It almost felt like we were
actually on vacation together, organically. I got to tell you, it was like a
family reunion. It was like, "Hey, girl!" and we just had us a good time.

KW: You can't beat shooting in the Bahamas.

TS: To be honest, the Bahamas wasn't fun. [Whispers] Kam, it was horrible.
Not only was the shooting schedule insane, but there were so many bugs on
that island that it was nerve-wracking. It was infested with these big moths
called "money bats" Imagine if every time you walked outside hundreds of
them were all over the place and landing on you. It was so stressful and
irritating. I'm not exaggerating. They also had these mosquitoes called "no
see ‘ems" because you couldn't see ‘em. Those things just ate us up. We had
welts and bites all over our bodies. Ugh! I could go on and on. And then
there were these other bugs like flying cockroaches that made a loud buzzing
sound every time we tried to shoot a scene. KW: Gee, that sounds very different from Couples Retreat, your previous
film, which was filmed in Polynesia on Bora Bora, another exotic location.

TS: Let me tell you honey, they should have picked Bora Bora. Bora Bora was
a dream! It was truly paradise.

KW: Attorney Bernadette Beekman asks, who do you admire most in your
profession and have you sought out that person as a mentor?

TS: Wow! Angela Bassett is a friend of mine and someone who I truly admire
tremendously in terms of her work and her choices.KW: Reverend Florine Thompson asks, how has your life changed as a
Christian, and who in the scriptures speaks most to who you are and how
you've developed spiritually?

TS: I'd say Paul. I just love how he went from being an unbeliever
persecuting Christians to one of the most powerful people in the Bible. And
how has my life changed as a Christian? Once you have the light of God
within you, you see things within yourself that you did not know existed.
Things that were hidden in darkness are now in light. I see myself as able
to forgive… to love… I even see talents in myself that I didn't see before.
KW: Reverend Thompson also asks, how do you express the Christ you serve in
the glamorous Hollywood milieu in which you work?

TS: Your atmosphere does not change you, if are rooted and grounded in who
you are. I do what I believe the Lord did, and that is walk in love with all
mankind, which I don't see a lot of Christians doing. Christians can be so
judgmental, that it can turn off people who are considering converting. It
makes me a little embarrassed, to tell you the truth, when I hear Christians
criticizing others. I have to fight against being discouraged, because I
don't want to be connected with people who are so intolerant of much of
mankind like that. God loves us all. He really does. And I want to walk in
love with people.

KW: I know you're from Camden, New Jersey, and your character Angela even
brags about it in the film. Have you heard of the
Center for Transformation, an organization that's
doing some tremendous charity work there, including overseeing a greenhouse,
community gardens, neighborhood cleanups, a family resource clinic and other
projects?

TS: No I haven't.KW: Their mission states "we area people called to be a Christian community
and to stand on the side of life with all the struggling people of Camden
and the world."

TS: That sounds beautiful. KW: I can get some information to you about it, if it sounds like a group
you'd be interested in working with.

TS: Yeah, that would be great.KW: I recently met someone from Camden who says he knew you as a child. Eric
Lewis, the jazz pianist. I met him backstage after a concert promoting his
new album.

TS: Yes, isn't he talented? I'm so happy for him.

KW: Laz Lyles would like to know what it was like for you to revisit the
character Angela.

TS: It was exciting and empowering, because although Tyler always jokes
around saying, "Tasha's just like Angela," I'm not really. I'm loud and I
communicate, but I'd never think of doing half the things Angela does. She's
an over the top character who just lives and speaks honestly without
worrying about being politically correct. So, playing her, you get a sense
of freedom to do whatever you want and to live vicariously through her.
KW: Laz has a follow up question. What's the most common feedback you get
from your acting workshops?

TS: People come to my workshop expecting just to learn about acting, but at
the end many say they've learned something about life. They leave as better
mothers, better wives, better husbands and better siblings. KW: After watching your acting studio video, Larry Greenberg wants to
know whether a white guy can enroll in your acting course.

TS: Tell him "Yes!" and please bring his whole family. I'm giving a $20
discount to anyone who brings along a white person to my class. Tell him I
want white people in my classes and to send an email blast to every white
person he knows to come and visit me. [Laughs] KW: Larry also says he loved your work in "Glass House: The Good Mother." He
asks, "Is there any chance I could see you in another thriller?"

TS: Wow! Tell him to pray. I want to do another thriller. [Laughs] KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

TS: Hmm… I see a beautiful black woman who has overcome and who is pressing
into her future and forgetting about the past. KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest childhood memory?

TS: Wow! I remember being 6 or 7 years-old and always begging my sister to
act out scenes with me while we were in our bunk beds. I would be like, "Can
you be Chaka Khan while I be Diana Ross? And let's act like we're at a party
at Stevie wonder's house and looking fabulous." But she would always just
fall asleep. KW: How's your twin, Sidra, doing?

TS: I love Catherine Maladrino, Angela Dean and Nicole Miller. Catherine
Maladrino designs that beautiful, high-class red carpet stuff. Nicole Miller
makes beautiful dresses you can wear everyday. And when you just want to go
and shut it down, you turn to Angela Dean. She made my dress for this
premiere, as well as for the opening of Tyler Perry's studio, that red
sequined number. KW: Beautiful! If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that
be for?

TS: Wow, I was just telling my boyfriend that I want to be like Solomon, and
instead of asking for riches ask for wisdom and creativity. KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?

TS: I make a garlic cracked crab that will shut everything down. First, I
roast fresh garlic in olive oil. Then, I sauté onions, peppers and basil in
Old Bay seasoning with butter, heavy cream, wine and beer until it gets
thick. Then, I let the fresh crabs cook in that sauce for about 10 or 15
minutes before roasting them. Woooo! Believe me when I tell you that my
garlic cracked crab is soooo good. It's dynamic! KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?

TS: "Understanding Your Potential" by Myles Munroe. That book is really,
really, really good, and empowers you to appreciate your full potential, and
God as the source of that potential.

KW: The music maven Heather Covington question: What are you listening to on
your iPod?

TS: Honey, I'm on Sade's "Soldier of Love" right now. Loving it, loving it,
and loving it! That whole album is just crazy.KW: The Teri Emerson question: When was the last time you had a good laugh?

TS: Today. [LOL] You wanna know what happened? While I was filming "My Black
Is Beautiful" I had my DNA traced and found out that I'm linked genetically
to the Bubi people of Bioko Island. So, I eagerly asked, "Am I descended
from kings and queens?" But I was told, "Sorry, your ancestors were
definitely not kings and queens, but probably gatherers in the field."
[Laughs more] That was hilarious. I just laughed so hard.KW: The Columbus Short question: Are you happy?

TS: Thanks for asking. A lot of times people don't really seem to care about
that. How do I sound? KW: Elated, and you've got a boyfriend since we last spoke.

TS: [Shrieks] I got a man, baby! A man! He is so absolutely wonderful. I am
so in love. And I'm planning on getting married and having a bay by the end
of 2011. KW: Congratulations! Who's the lucky guy?

TS: His name is Keith.KW: Best of luck to you both, Tasha, and thanks for another terrific
interview.